LG elections: Opposition parties demand army deployment

Party leaders claim PPP making all efforts to rig the polls

KARACHI: Opposition parties in Sindh have expressed reservations over the appointments of district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) and demanded the deployment of military or paramilitary forces in every polling station for the local government elections that are scheduled to start from October 31.

The parties claim the police force is part of the Sindh government, threatening to boycott the polls if their demands are not considered. Submitting their written complaints to the provincial election commissioner, the leaders expressed reservations over the preparations for the local government elections.

"The provincial government of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh has planned a massive rigging programme to hijack the local bodies' institutions," stated the letter.

Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, the president of PML-N's Sindh chapter, former Sindh chief ministers Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Liaquat Jatoi, who now belong to the PML-N, former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza, PTI MNA Lal Malhi who hails from Thar, Shaharyar Mahar, Nand Kumar and Nusrat Seher Abbasi of the PML-F, Anwar Soomro of the Qaumi Awami Tahreek and have joined hands against the PPP-led government.

"Even during the process of filing nomination papers and their scrutiny, the DROs and ROs were not impartial. They are making decisions in favour of the PPP candidates," claimed Rahoo.

In their written complaints, the leaders of the opposition parties suggested the provincial election commission to ensure that all phases of the local government elections are conducted impartially and give equal opportunity to all contesting candidates.

During their meeting with provincial election commissioner Tanveer Zaki, the leaders of opposition parties focused on 10 points and said that the provincial government was planning to change the venue of all polling stations to facilitate their candidates to cast 'bogus' votes and deprive opponents the right to cast their votes.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2015.